


Club Geass

by EdgarLee



Category: Code Geass
Genre: A sexual setting but surprisingly not sexual at all, Angst, Boys In Love, But I did it and I’m proud, Club AU, College, Exotic Dancers, Flirting, Fluff, Kissing, Low key C.C. x Kallen, M/M, Mutual Pining, Not Actually Unrequited Love, Nunnally isn’t blind in this One, Slow Burn, Stripper AU, SuzaLulu - Freeform, Unrequited love (or so he thinks), band au, bartender!lelouch, coffee shop AU, idk how I made a club and stripper au without any sexy scenes, just crippled still, lead singer!suzaku, lelouch owns a club because of his father, singer!suzaku, suzaku is a part time barista, switching POVs, we need more soft SuzaLulu
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-13
Updated: 2020-09-13
Packaged: 2021-03-07 01:28:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 14,896
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26438704
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EdgarLee/pseuds/EdgarLee
Summary: Suzaku Kururugi, lead singer of a band trio that has just recently ended a contract with their last club, is on the lookout for a new spot to continue playing gigs at. Suzaku’s band mates just happen to drag him to a club for his birthday and the hottest club in town, Club Geass, looks promising. It’s when he locks eyes with one of the dancers that he’s sold.Aka: the modern no geass bartender/band au where Suzaku and Lelouch re-meet each other at a famous club that Lelouch is close to being forced to own because of his father. The funny thing is Suzaku can’t seem to remember why the bartender that goes by L.L. seems so familiar.
Relationships: Kururugi Suzaku/Lelouch Lamperouge | Lelouch vi Britannia
Comments: 6
Kudos: 22





	1. Mask Night

Down the neon strip next to the bustling street lied the newest club to open in the city, and easily the hottest of the century, Club Geass. There was a long uniform line waiting out front of the neon tinged club. Bright lights and loud basses filled the senses of anyone who entered. And that's exactly where Suzaku's band mates Gino and Anya—mostly Gino—thought to bring him for his birthday.

Although the trio were there to celebrate, Suzaku was also on the lookout for a new gig that would book them. Their last club they performed at had just expired their year long contract and Suzaku thought it best to branch out to different clubs in the area. They'd never booked with a strip club before though, but Suzaku was always open to new experiences.

When he entered the club, Suzaku couldn't deny the reviews it got online. It was classy but also modern with neon pink and green lighting the entire club up. He could see fog machines near the stage to the right of the entrance, where a DJ played. And to the left of the stage was a catwalk with a pole at the front. The population of the club seemed to be either at the dance floor in front of the DJ or at the bar to the left of both stages.

"Let's start this night with drinks!" Gino cheered and lead the two to the bar.

The bar itself was a deep mahogany and there were more lights lined underneath. The entire club was lit with the LEDs, always pink and green. The only non LED lights in the entire bar were the sphere lights hanging from above the bar that cast soft yellow glows. Suzaku was broke out of his observations by a bartender.

"What can I get for you?" A girl with neon green hair asked with a blank expression and tone. She wore a bunny mask and Suzaku noticed all of the employees he could see were also wearing masks of some kind.

Gino threw an arm around Suzaku's shoulders and with a loud smile said, "whiskey shots all around!" The girl seemed to scrunch her nose up in disgust but wrote it down anyway. When the girl turned away Gino turned around to face Suzaku. "So what do you think so far? Nice huh?"

"I like the lights," Anya spoke, her phone positioned at the DJ and suddenly a shutter sounded.

"I don't think you should be taking photos in here." Suzaku said.

"I couldn't find any good photos online," Suzaku quickly pointed to a no photography sign.

"That's why," Anya eyed the sign for a quick moment before turning to look back at her phone.

"A shame," she sighed but dutifully tucked her phone away.

"Suzaku!" Gino whined, "you never answered my question!"

"Oh- uh right, the DJ stage looks nice?" Gino looked over to the stage and at some point a bubble machine had started spewing out bubbles among the crowd. Then a smirk took to Gino's face.

"You sure it's not the dancer's stage you're talking about?" Gino wiggled his eyebrows and Suzaku rolled his eyes.

"You're insufferable Gino,"

"What?! It's a valid choice!"

"There aren't even any dancers out," Anya remarked. She seemed to have taken her phone out again but she wasn't taking photos this time. Only scrolling through Instagram. When Suzaku got a closer look she was going through the Club Geass hashtag.

"True but they will be out at around 9," Suzaku glanced a look at the time on Anya's phone and noticed it'd turn 9 in a couple minutes.

"Did you plan this Gino?" The brunette asked.

"What? No! Not like that! We're only here for your birthday!" He said with a puff of his chest. Suzaku didn't look convinced.

"Of course he did," Anya said, "he even made sure we would be here specifically today because they have some sort of mask event going on." Well that explained the bunny mask, Suzaku thought.

"Hey, don't shame a guy for his interests!"

"I thought you just said we were here for my birthday?" Suzaku shot the blonde a questioning look and Gino sputtered.

"W-what? Uh- look! The first dancer is coming out right now I think!" Suzaku followed the blonde man's pointer finger and sure enough there was a crowd forming around the catwalk and the lights were blinking around the stage.

Gino pulled his less enthused band mates into the crowd to watch the opening dancer. Suzaku looked up right as the curtain shifted.There was fog filling the stage and a burst of light and then suddenly a masked figure appeared.

"Lelouch you have to help me!" A girl's voice yelled with dramatic anguish over the phone. The raven male had to hold the phone at a distance from his ear to protect his hearing.

"Just call in sick, we're not underhanded, we have three other dancers lined up," He sounded unbothered by the girl's frantic worrying.

"No we need four! I can't be there no matter what I try to do but if there aren't four dancers than Milly is going to be seriously pissed!" The girl protested.

"Kallen just ask C.C. to cover you, I'm not a dancer," Lelouch could hear the girl begin to whine again.

"She already denied me! She said she doesn't want to wear the zero costume!"

"What? But it's a part of the set, she can't just-"

"You see my problem! I can't get anyone to cover me and I was supposed to be Zero in tonight's set!" Lelouch pinched the bridge of his nose. She was right, her shift would have to be covered, they couldn't just take Zero out of the set. Zero was the opening and the main theme of the Club's event that night. Milly would be royally pissed if they didn't follow her perfect schedule of "mask night". She was always creating events for the club and if one person didn't follow then there was hell to pay. It reminded him of their time during high school when she was the student council president. She really hadn't changed, and he was somewhat grateful for that. However right now it was being a hindrance.

Lelouch wouldn't mind covering for Kallen, he's flexible enough with work around the club to take any role. He is the second in line to own the club just under his father after all. However, his stamina is horrendous and dancing requires so much body strength that he just can't come up with, especially in a couple hours to take over Kallen's shift. She always had the hardest choreography's because she's so ambitious and strength comes second nature to her.

C.C. would be better cut out to fill in for her. C.C. was often the only one who could fill in for Kallen because she just had natural talent to fit into any roll that interested her. And Lelouch knew she'd do almost anything for Kallen. Key word: almost.

"Goddammit C.C. it's a costume and it's barely worn for a minute into the set."

"I'm sorry to put this onto you Lelouch but I can't cancel this!"

"I know, I'll handle it. Tell your mom I said hi," Kallen let out a sigh of relief.

"Thank you Lelouch! I'll make it up to you! And don't worry, you can take out most of the choreography and no one will care the moment they see you in the under outfit," Lelouch shuddered at the truth to the girls words. Lelouch was aware of his own attractiveness. Especially when his father used his face as the poster boy of the club's opening. That bastard.

"Whatever, I'll see you Tuesday night for your next shift."

"Yup! I'll be there!" Lelouch hung up the phone with a sigh. He was glad he had the dancer's choreographies memorized. It was necessary for him to observe the dancer's sets and make sure everything would go on schedule especially the night of.

"Well, it's a good thing C.C taught me how to walk in heels." Lelouch mumbled quietly to himself.

And that's what led him to this moment. Standing behind the curtain listening to the bass fill the room and tugging on the collar around the zero costume. Lelouch could feel an easy breeze and was glad there was good AC in the club.

"You owe me for this Kallen," he muttered.

There was fog filling the stage and a burst of light and then suddenly a masked figure appeared. 

A very dramatic entrance Suzaku thought. He couldn't tell the person's gender either. The mask was more of a helmet than the half bunny mask the bartender had worn. The dancer was also wearing some sort of purple and gold cloak. Suzaku was intrigued to say the least.

The bass rung louder and the dancer started to strut down the walk. Beneath the cloak Suzaku could see black stiletto pumps that looked so tall that he was afraid one wrong move would break more than someone's ankle. Each bass line was met on beat with the dancer's stride and then they got to the edge of the stage. And suddenly all in one fluid motion the mask and cloak was removed with an exaggerated flourish.

Silky raven hair, pale skin, black leather, and gold accents were revealed all in one moment. Along with another mystery being unveiled. The dancer was a guy. Suzaku had never been more happy to be comfortable with his sexuality than in this one moment. And then the dancer opened his eyes and the moment green eyes met violet under the neon fluorescent lighting, he had made his mind up.

He was going to get a contract with Club Geass.

The lights, the sound system, the energy, the employees were all taken into account for his final decision but, this violet eyed dancer, was the only confirmation he needed.

Suzaku watched the dancer until the end of their set and felt a little disappointed by how short it was. It only lasted two songs. But he didn't let it get to him, he was sure he'd be able to see the dancer more often once he booked a gig contract with the club.

The night ended with a couple more rounds of shots and then the trio made their way back to their shared apartment.

"That was fun! What do you think Anya?" Gino said enthusiastically, walking up the apartment complex's stairs three at a time. He had so much energy, Suzaku thought. Suzaku was ready to pass out already and yet Gino seemed the same as if the night had just begun.

"I think the waitress gave you a fake number," Anya said.

"Hey! She was totally digging me!" He squawked.

"She was working and trying to be polite." The girl rebutted.

"She's got a point there," Suzaku chuckled. Gino spun around and shot him a wounded look. Suzaku shrugged his shoulders. The brunette walked past the two still arguing and opened the apartment door and made a beeline for the couch, against the wall of the open living room, passed the kitchen. He all but threw himself against the cushions and held a pillow to his chest. He could feel a headache ebbing close and started to regret those shots of whiskey.

Suzaku barely registered small hands moving his feet aside but he quickly made room for Anya. She grabbed the remote and turned on the T.V. It immediately opened to some cartoon channel.

"So what'd you think?" Anya asked the brunette. Suzaku moved postions until he was laying on his back with the pillow against his chest.

"I definitely want to contact the owner. I liked the energy and I feel like it's perfect for us." Suzaku glanced at the small DJ to find her nodding in agreement.

"Suzaku! Sprite or pepsi?" Gino shouted across the open room.

"Neither, I have a headache," he groaned. Gino hummed his sympathy and walked over. Suzaku felt nauseous at the sound of a soda can opening.

"It's midnight Gino, you're really going to drink that?" Anya asked but she already knew the answer.

"Absolutely!" He said. The blonde sat in the arm chair next to the couch the two other band mates occupied. "So, Suzaku," the man's tone gave him an immediate sense of danger.

"What?" Suzaku said tentatively, glaring suspiciously at the blonde.

"Who was your favorite dancer?" Suzaku narrowed his eyes.

"Bold of you to assume I have a favorite,"

"Was it the orange haired girl? What'd they say her name was? Shirley? Or Oo! Was it the older woman? Villetta I think it was,"

"The fact that you know their names astounds me," Suzaku scrunched up his nose.

Anya typed something into her phone then joined the conversation, "It should be obvious which one was his favorite. He only really payed attention to the first one," she turned her phone around to show a picture of the dancer she was talking about. So much for no photography. The entire Club Geass tag was filled with photos of the man. Some masked some unmasked. None of the photos did the dancer's eyes justice though. They were all muddled by the clubs lighting.

"Ah you're right! I noticed that!" Gino yelled and Suzaku swore his headache increased tenfold. This was going to be a long night.


	2. L.L.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Aren't you the dancer from a week ago?" Suzaku says. The man looks like he wants to let out an exasperated sigh or something dramatic.  
> "Not a permanent one, I just filled in for a coworker."  
> "I see, could've fooled me,"  
> "Ive been getting that a lot," Suzaku could only imagine. The man's face was all over Instagram at the moment. "though I could never be a dancer especially not here,"  
> "How come?" Suzaku asked. The bartender's eyes met Suzaku's and they seemed to hold a mischievous glint.  
> "Not enough stamina," Suzaku swallowed hard.  
> "So, a whiskey?" The man says, successfully changing the subject.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For a better reading experience listen to party monster by The Weeknd (8d is recommended) when Suzaku starts singing. Lyrics are in italics.

The papers were all set, Suzaku was sure. He'd contacted the club and was able to meet with one of the directors, Milly Ashford, and had gotten a contract all set. For now it was a flexible contract that could be terminated before the year was up at any time but it would become permanent for the rest of the year about a month in.

When Suzaku shared the news with Anya and Gino they were just as excited as Suzaku was sharing the news. They hadn't played for a gig for about a solid month and Suzaku knew the two were restless to play again.

"Let's celebrate!" Gino exclaimed a bit too loud for the inside of a coffee shop.

"You always want to celebrate," Anya said. She didn't appreciate the volume of the blonde and it was clear by the way she glared at him. The blonde continued, either not noticing or not caring.

"We have to appreciate the moments in life before they pass you by, otherwise what's life but a series of events?" Suzaku blinked.

"Wow, that's actually really insightful Gino,"

"Of course I am! That's why I'm the drummer, I carry the band with my wit, charm, and insightful comments." He said with a wide grin.

"You mean sparse moments of common sense," Anya interrupted. She punctuated her statement with a sip of her iced coffee.

"You could've at least said wise comments." Gino pouted, opting to nurse his sugar infested frappe.

"I wouldn't want to lie," She stated matter of factly. Suzaku snickered at the way Gino gaped at the girl. Anya instead turned her attention to Suzaku and changed the subject. "So when do we start?" She asked.

"We start Friday, apparently they have this whole schedule where on certains days they have the dancers and others they have bands or DJs and during special events sometimes they have both." He explained.

"Awesome!" Gino yelled. "What songs should we play?" Suzaku thought for a bit.

"I think I know the set we should do." Anya said.

"Which one?" The two men asked in unison. Anya pushed her phone into their faces and the two nodded approvingly.

Lelouch came in to work 5 minutes before his shift as usual. He tied his hair up as he made his way behind the bar, greeting C.C. with a nod.

Lelouch started wiping down the bar as C.C. went to the back to refill the lemon garnishes. He knew she was probably eating them more than using them but he didn't bother to tell her to stop.

Lelouch suddenly looked up from cleaning the bar. The music changed, a different baseline. He realized there was a band on the stage he hadn't noticed when he came in. Now that he looked around he noticed the entirety of the club's population was at the dance floor or watching the band from the tables. He hoped this was the band Milly had been so excited about.

" _I'm good, I'm good, I'm great"_

Lelouch had to admit that the lead singer had a good voice.

" _Know it's been a while, now I'm mixing up the drank"_

Ok good was an understatement. From what Lelouch could see he had brown hair and was wearing a black V neck with a blue blazer. He could see the glint of silver rings on his hands as he held the mic. Lelouch was not going to admit how attractive that was.

_"I just need a girl who gon' really understand"_

Especially not because he was probably straight. Like most men are. He's not going to assume anything, especially when they're now coworkers of a sort.

" _And I've seen her get richer in the pole"_

Lelouch was about to go back to cleaning the bar when he noticed his rag was gone. C.C. snickered into her hand.

"Looking for something?" She asked. Lelouch glared at the woman.

"I wasn't finished,"

"Oh I thought you were on break or something because you sure were using your free time to gawk," Lelouch grabbed the hanging rag out of her hand and shot her another glare.

"Says the one who's constantly eating the garnishes while we're working."

"Hey, I get hungry it's a natural human bodily function,"

"I hardly believe you're human," He said. She smirked and raised her chin.

"You're right, I'm a witch," Lelouch rolled his eyes threw the rag at her.

"I finished, here," she caught it cleanly but held a disgusted look on her face.

"How barbaric,"

"Says the one literally sitting on the bar, get off I just cleaned it,"

"Ok ok, have fun gawking!" Lelouch huffed as the girl walked into the kitchen. C.C. was a family friend of some sort. He had met her through his father when he opened the club. Lelouch had been 16 at the time and still in high school so it hadn't mattered much to him but when he turned 18 his father gave him full control and leadership over the club that was located in this region. He wasn't given a choice, just told not to screw up the family name. And so, C.C.'s friendship made owning this club at least a bit more bearable.

Lelouch snapped out of his reverie and instead looked back to the band that could barely be heard over the cheers and screaming if it weren't for the thousand dollar sound system the club had.

" _Ooh, she mine, ooh girl, bump and grind"_

Well the band certainly knew how to appeal to a crowd of horny club partiers he'd give them that. And their music genre fit the club perfectly. Lelouch was glad Milly is in charge of accepting the talent for the club, he couldn't imagine anyone else in that role.

" _Woke up by a girl, I don't even know her name"_

Suzaku had drained three water bottles between their 12 song set. He underestimated the heat of the club's LEDs but he should've known. The band gets an hour break between sets through the night.

"I'm gonna head to the bar you guys want anything?" Anya looked up from her keyboard and shook her head. Gino, still full of energy, turned him down as well and decided to play his drum solos during the intermission.

Suzaku makes his way across the club and sits on a stool at the bar. The moment he's out of the limelight he realizes his exhaustion. He hasn't played that much in a while and the other club they were gigged at didn't have as much energy so they usually only played 7 songs a night.

"What can I get for you?" A smooth voice asks. 

"Whiskey," Suzaku replies without looking up from where his hands are cradling his head. He should have brought Tylenol with him. He always ends up getting headaches like these.

"Whiskey?" The voice sounds incredulous. "You look like you're gonna pass out." Suzaku finally looks up—he sees violet—and suddenly, he can't take his eyes off the man; he was the dancer he saw. The bartender's hair is pulled into a pony tail and he's wearing a black halter with skin tight jeans, they're shiny. He's also wearing earrings but he can only tell when the light reflects off of them a certain way.

"Aren't you the dancer from a week ago?" Suzaku says. The man looks like he wants to let out an exasperated sigh or something dramatic.

"Not a permanent one, I just filled in for a coworker."

"I see, could've fooled me,"

"Ive been getting that a lot," Suzaku could only imagine. The man's face was all over Instagram at the moment. "though I could never be a dancer especially not here,"

"How come?" Suzaku asked. The bartender's eyes met Suzaku's and they seemed to hold a mischievous glint.

"Not enough stamina," Suzaku swallowed hard.

"So, a whiskey?" The man says, successfully changing the subject.

"Yeah," the man makes a noise that sounds like an exasperated laugh but by the time Suzaku looks up to question him but, he's already on the other end of the bar, making the whiskey.

A quick moment later, the bartender is sliding a glass in front of him. Suzaku nods his thanks and takes a sip. After the first sip he craved another. He saw the man's smirk grow out of the corner of his eye.

"Hey, what's your name?" Suzaku asks. The raven looks taken back but quickly composed himself.

"L.L." The man supplies. Suzaku looks confused, for good reason.

"L.L.?" He parrots. The bartender, L.L., nods with a smirk.

"Club protocol to go by our initials, though hardly anyone ever asks," L.L. Explained. "unless they're trying to hit on us," he said with a teasing smile. Suzaku sputtered. When the brunette noticed the raven's widening grin, he pouted.

"I only wanted to know your name so I wouldn't have to say, hey you, anytime I want to talk to you," Suzaku muttered grumpily into his drink.

"Then I'm guessing it's alright to assume you'll find yourself at my bar often, lucky me," before Suzaku could question the man's statement he noticed the time.

"Ah shit, the next set starts soon!" Suzaku downed the rest of his drink then stood up from the bar. He left a generous tip and ignored the surprised look on the Raven's face. Instead he gave him a wink and set off towards the stage.

"He's quite the character huh," C.C. spoke with a sly grin.

"He definitely fits the club's atmosphere," Lelouch says, setting up the bottles on the wall and taking into count any missing resources that would need to be restocked.

"Mm, he also fits your taste too," C.C. said passing by Lelouch to help a customer. Lelouch glared at the girl's back, not being able to defend himself while she was "working."

" _You picked a dance with the devil and you lucked out"_

He definitely fit the club's atmosphere, Lelouch thought as he watched the singer perform. The pink and green lights had changed to a purple and highlighted the man's form. Lelouch could see his rings glinting again and a bead of sweat on his face. Nonetheless he radiated some energy that kept the crowd pleased and Lelouch was satisfied with Milly's choice. He would be an excellent addition to the club, and he wasn't bad company between sets.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Pls leave feedback, I want to be proud of this fanfic so any constructive criticism or suggestions really help! Also compliments motivate me so ;)


	3. Suzaku Kururugi

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lelouch Vi Britannia, newly deemed Lelouch Lamperouge, had just met his childhood best friend at the club he owned. Lelouch Lamperouge had just called his childhood best friend a playboy. Lelouch Lamperouge had just called his childhood best friend, attractive.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For best reading experience I recommend you listen to The Hills by The Weeknd (8d is highly recommended) when Suzaku starts to sing(lyrics in italics).

It's early when Lelouch leaves the club and closes up. It's 2 in the morning early so Lelouch doesn't expect anyone to be awake when he arrives home. But, as she usually is, Sayoko greets him.

"Sayoko, you're here early," he isn't too surprised but he really wishes she wouldn't overwork herself.

"I never left, I know Master Lelouch returns around this time in the morning so I wanted to be sure you had something to eat when you got home. I made you a plate that we had for dinner yesterday, it's in the refrigerator would you like me to heat it up for you?" Lelouch can only smile fondly at the maid. She's been the only form of mother him and his siblings have had since the passing of their real one. In fact she's been the only form of parent they've ever known.

"If you don't mind that'd be great, but be sure to rest up in the guest room, you deserve a well managed sleep schedule and time with your family as well." Sayoko gave a nod then made her way into the kitchen. She continued to listen to Lelouch in the open room as she reheated the meal. "In fact this weekend I'm planning on taking Rolo and Nunnally out so you get a day off this Saturday,"

"You're much too kind Master Lelouch," She says, politely.

"No you're much too humble Sayoko," Lelouch responds.

"Oh, by the way Master Lelouch, your father left you a letter, I set it on your desk in your room."

"Oh thank you Sayoko, if you could bring the food to my room that'd be much appreciated," Sayoko nodded and gave a light bow as Lelouch made his way to his room.

The raven closed his door and the moment he saw the letter sitting on his desk, his grip tightened. He could only imagine what his father would send him now. Not once had Lelouch received a birthday letter or a letter of congratulations or anything that a parent would normally send to their child that they actively avoid. No, Lelouch's father never even visited the city him and his sibling's lived in.

The only children Charles Vi Britannia visited were those that sold their souls to get his favor and attention and Lelouch wouldn't dare to stoop so low. He was quite happy with Rolo and Nunnally as his only sufficient family. He was unbothered by ignoring his other half siblings, none of them bothered to reach out to him anyways. And if it weren't for his father's stupid club, he would've taken Nunnally and Rolo away from the city to somewhere more peaceful and less politically controlled. But there was only so much one could do when your father was Charles Vi Britannia. A politician in the lime light and the richest man of Britannia.

And sure enough, when Lelouch opened the letter, it was not an affectionate message at all. It was hardly a message but instead, it was a report, an assignment that needed to be fulfilled. The letter is the finances for the club that need to be filled out.

" _You're a smart boy, handle these and prove yourself capable of this job"_ lelouch grits his teeth.

"I wouldn't be doing this if I had a choice," he says aloud to no one but himself. Not like he'd ever speak his frustrations with his father to another soul. For one it's not like him to be open about how he feels, it's tactless and benefits him in no ways. For two, it's much to dangerous to gossip anything negative about his father when he was so well in the light of others. No it would be a mistake to even think about talking bad about him.

Lelouch is ushered out of his thoughts by Sayoko bringing him his plate and he quickly thanks the hardworking woman. He has little respect for most people he's met but he has an abundance of respect for Sayoko and a select few other hardworking individuals in his life. If it weren't for them, he fears he'd find barely any worth in living beside a society so rotten. Oh well, he figures, there's no worth in complaining about something if you aren't willing to change it. So he sits in his room by himself at 3 am, eating his reheated dinner, and going about his schedule for the next day.

He falls asleep at 4 but is quickly awoken at 7 by the smell of fresh bacon and the chatter of his favorite people in the world. He doesn't mind being awoken so early as long as it's too their happy voices.

Groggily, Lelouch makes his way into the dining room and smiles at his siblings.

"Lelouch you're awake!" Nunnally says, her smile vibrant and wide.

"Brother Lelouch is awake?" Rolo's eyes light up and his grin is widening by the moment.

"Oh Lelouch, I hope we didn't wake you too early," Sayoko is washing up the dishes when she speaks. But Lelouch can only find himself to worry about how long Sayoko's been awake.

"No need to worry Sayoko, I've gotten plenty of sleep for today. And I don't mind being awake since it means I get to eat breakfast with you all,"

"Big brother how was work?" Rolo quickly asks. He always talks as if he's afraid he won't get the chance to speak to Lelouch and it reminds him to make more time for Rolo and Nunnally. He's been so taken over by the club recently it feels like he barely gets to see his siblings.

Even though Lelouch is in his 20s he still stays with his sibling's. He can't help but feel the need to mother hen them. Or maybe it's the simple fact that he's not ready to say goodbye. Nunnally is in high school and Rolo attends a college nearby—he refused to stay in the dorms.

Lelouch answers Rolo's question with a hand to ruffle his hair and a smile as he says, "oh you know, the same old same old. Drunken people looking for a way to escape the boring confines of reality."

"How positive of an outlook on humanity brother," Nunnally quips. She's definitely gotten his witty sarcasm over the years.

"I call it realism my dearest Nunnally." Lelouch retorts and revels in her affectionate eye roll.

"I think Lelouch's outlooks on life have a lot of truth to them though!" Rolo, the one always quick to agree with Lelouch, says with a pointed finger as if he's declaring a royal decree.

Lelouch finds it endearing and knows how much of a role model he is to Rolo. He supposes that's another factor as to why he decided to stay. Rolo still has more room to grow up and Lelouch wants to help as much as he can as well as try to teach him to grow on his own without the constant need of a person to attach to. Rolo has always had attachment issues and for that Lelouch pities him. But Lelouch also knows how incredibly smart and loyal he is, he'll make a fine human one day and Lelouch is proud to say society is blessed to have people like his siblings.

Nunnally with her wit and compassion and Rolo with his strict ideals and loyalty to his own ambitions. They'd make a fine pair to lead the world but he'd never wish politics onto them. He'd never wish to burden them with the weight of the world's screwups. If he could, he would make the world a peaceful place, just for them.

"Lelouch, why are you still standing come sit down," Nunnally said. Lelouch could hear the underlying message. As much as he loved his siblings, sometimes their rivalry was a bit too much for him. He eyed the way Rolo glared at Nunnally when she patted the spot beside her.

"Yeah, Lelouch why don't you sit by me!" Rolo said with clenched teeth. The way they were seated made it impossible to sit by them both and either of Lelouch's choices would only fuel their rivalry for his attention. That was a beast he did not want to feed.

"Um, actually I think I'm just fine sitting at the island in the kitchen,"

"But Lelouch," Nunnally said with her signature puppy eyes. "What happened to having breakfast with us?"

"Yeah," Rolo joined in, "we barely get to eat with you anymore," Lelouch was backed into a corner. There was no right decision. No right choice. Either way someone would be upset and he couldn't handle that. He was naive to think he could ever appease both siblings, that was until he had a stroke of genius.

With a smile Lelouch moved a chair over to the corner of the table, seated between both Nunnally and Rolo.

"There," he stated, "happy?"

The two siblings looked at each other with disapproving stares but ultimately didn't complain.

Sayoko shook her head as she set Lelouch's plate down in front of him. The raven was happy to just be able to eat until, each sibling decided to take his hands from him.

"Guys,” he sighed,”you can't each hold my hand as I'm trying to eat," he said, though he knew they wouldn't budge.

"Don't worry big brother!" Rolo said with a smile, "I'll feed you!" Nunnally gasped and immediately reached to grab Lelouch's fork.

"No! I'll feed you brother!" Rolo glared at Nunnally.

"Hey! I offered first!"

"Well I offered second!"

Lelouch sighed as the siblings continued to fight and Sayoko gave him a pitying look. During the siblings arguing she took his plate and set it in the microwave for when he would be free to eat on his own. He gave her a look of thanks, bless her heart. She was the only person truly on his side in this household. But as Lelouch watched his two siblings fight still each holding his hands, he couldn't find it in him to be upset at them. He could only watch them with a fond smile and be thankful that he had this simple sight every morning. Because one day it would be gone, and he didn't know how to process that thought.

Later that day he'd received a call from Milly about a shipment to restock the bar and since he had become one of the main bartenders he couldn't say no to coming in early.

"Alright I'll call Rolo to help me pick them up, he's the one with the drivers license after all," Milly sighed over the phone.

"Seriously Lelouch, one of these days you're going to have to take your drivers test and get a car like the rest of us! You can't piggy back off of Rivalz all the time," Lelouch shrugged even though he knew she couldn't see it.

"It's fine, Rivalz has a shift tonight too so it's not like it's a big favor, plus I don't see a need for a license yet so it's not like I'll go out of my way to get one," He could tell Milly must've been shaking her head at him with that usual expression of hers. One that read "You'll never change".

"So lazy Lelouch, yknow you could be a rich CEO if you applied yourself!"

"Why would I want to be some CEO? I already live comfortably,"

"Well as long as you're happy I guess, though I swear, Shirley was right, it's a waste of brains on you!" Lelouch chuckled. Same old same old. Nothing had changed since high school and it was the only thing that gave him reassurance for the future. One thing would never change was Milly Ashford and he was beyond grateful for that.

When Rivalz came over to pick Lelouch up he wore a grin like a dog seeing its master.

"Hey buddy! You ready to pick up some alcohol?"

"Why do you always make it sound like we're going on some illegal heist?" Lelouch says, getting into the new pickup truck Rivalz had bought when he'd deemed himself a responsible adult. He'd even sold his bike for it. He claimed it was time he grew up and got something useful for "adult life". He still cried over selling his bike though.

"Because it's way more fun that way! And it reminds me of the good ole days when we'd sneak out to gamble!"

"I did all of the gambling, you just tagged along and drove me there," Rivalz drove out of the driveway of the complex Lelouch lived at, making an easy turn onto the freeway.

"Exactly, I was the getaway driver!" Rivalz said with a wide grin.

"I will never understand what goes on in your mind," Lelouch chuckled.

"Ditto my friend, ditto," The two shared a look and chuckled amongst themselves.

It was moments like these that Lelouch was grateful for. There was nothing missing in Lelouch's life. He had a good family at home, he had good friends, and he had a stable job. There was nothing more he could desire. He didn't want the burden of a relationship or even a pet. Everything was the way it should be.

An hour into Lelouch's shift, he made note of the band entering the club. For some reason he couldn't remember the brunette’s name. He belatedly realized, with some disappointment, that he'd never actually asked what his name was.

Lelouch slid a drink to a waiting customer and patted Rivalz's shoulder.

"I'm going to restock the glasses real quick, cover my end of the bar for me," Rivalz gave him a quick nod as he retreated into the back kitchen. He quickly grabbed a crate of freshly washed glasses from a new employee he couldn't immediately remember the name of and walked back into the loud sounding bar.

" _You said keep our business on the low low"_

He heard the bass intro to the bands first song of the night and made a quick cursory glance to the band stage. The lead singer wore a black shirt and a grey blazer this time, however his jeans were black and ripped and he wore silver necklaces with his rings.

" _I'm just tryna get you out the friend zone,"_

The man had style, somewhat, a bit of a lack of variety but nothing Lelouch could fault him for. He was straight after all, or so he'd assumed. He supposed he shouldn't assume such things of others but he figured it was safe to say until given a reason not to believe it and so far, the man had only sung about women so he didn't have much evidence. Though Lelouch wondered why it mattered in the first place. He had to admit he was attractive but Lelouch wasn't looking for a relationship or anything of the sort. So instead he went back to restocking the shelves and listening to the band in the background.

_"I only call you when it's half-past five"_

His lyrics sounded like your typical fuck boy and it made Lelouch curious as to what kind of person was under the facade of catchy lyrics and strong basses. He figured he could always ask when the man inevitably came to the bar between sets. Suddenly Lelouch had something to look forward to other than the end of his shift.

" _When I'm fucked up, that's the real me"_

Lelouch chuckled to himself. These lyrics came from the same man who looked like he'd almost puke after his first set just yesterday. The same man who thought L.L. was his real name. It was laughable that they could be the same person but Lelouch found it somehow endearing. What an interesting person.

" _I'ma let you know and keep it simple"_

Lelouch knew better than to judge someone by their cover, or rather their lyrics, and this only proved his knowledge true.

When the band's intermission came Lelouch heard the tell tale sound of someone sitting at his bar. Lelouch looked up to see the brunette with green eyes and silver jewelry. He once again looked like he was ill. Perhaps he was sick or maybe the energy just got to him like this. Lelouch concluded he must be an introvert with an outgoing personality. A feeler type for sure. Lelouch quickly caught himself from analyzing the singer further, what was the point in knowing so much about someone anyway? He was sure the man would leave soon after their contract terminated and that'd be it. Though he also supposed it wasn't wrong to know enough to navigate an easy conversation with him at the least.

"A whiskey I presume?" Lelouch said. The brunette let out a slight nod and a shy smile. Lelouch gave a pitying smile as he went to quickly make the drink. He really wanted to just give the man a water but he could already tell the man was stubborn. Even so, Lelouch asked anyways. “You sure you don’t want a water?” Lelouch looked back at the man with a raised brow in question. The man shook his head and even that gesture made him look displeased.

“Alcohol helps me get through the night.” Lelouch couldn’t help the laugh pulled out of his chest.

“Now that’s a statement I can agree with,” he said, sliding the whiskey down to the man.

“Thanks,” he said and Lelouch nodded. Not many thanked their bartender’s, especially at Club Geass when most of the customers were snooty Britannians. The only ones who did were usually polite girls on dates they wanted to make a good impression on or the small percentage of guys who didn’t have sticks up their asses. It felt nice to be appreciated once in a while when it was genuine. And with the way Suzaku all but inhaled the whiskey, he could assume he was genuine.

"So what's with the playboy lyrics?" Lelouch finds himself asking. He’s not one to fill silence but the bar is pretty quiet. Most of the club’s inhabitants are occupied with the energetic drummer doing solos every intermission. Lelouch wonders how the brunette can handle being around such an energetic person like that but then Lelouch remembers he’s practically surrounded by extroverts himself and all he can do is feel a sort of empathetic sympathy for the guy.

He’s snapped out of his thoughts by the sound of a laugh. The brunette is laughing so hard he might start crying.

“They are pretty fuck boy esque aren’t they,” The man says between breaths of laughter and when he puts it like that Lelouch finds himself joining in his mirth.

“Should I assume your lyrics reflect you?” The man looked up at Lelouch with his vibrant green eyes and Lelouch forgot to breathe for a moment. They looked familiar.

“Maybe at one point, but not quite anymore. Those songs were first made when I was still in high school with my band mates. We never actually considered performing in front of people like this we just found it fun to make songs about what was in at the time. Its kinda funny how it’s still relevant today even though it’s been years.” The man looked into his glass fondly. “Makes me realize how little things have changed.” Lelouch wondered how he could express how much he agreed with such a statement. It felt like he’d taken the words out of his mouth.

“It makes some part of you wish it’d never change even if it’s physically impossible.” Suddenly green eyes were looking back at him with an expression of awe.

“You get it,” the man said and Lelouch let out a soft smile.

“Yeah, but if things never changed life would be pretty dull huh,” the man nodded.

“Yeah I agree, and if nothing changed moments like these wouldn’t exist. We’d be stuck in a dull loop of moments that would never end and who’s to say if they were good or bad. What would be your never changing moment. Could you really wish for a world without change if your unchanging moment was one of sadness?” Lelouch’s eyes widened. Never judge a book by its cover, he repeated in his mind.

“Wow, playboy must be really into philosophy,” the man looked at him with a pout.

“I have a name you know,” Lelouch smirked.

“Oh really? I was wondering when you’d enlighten me,”

“Wait did you purposely construct your sentence to make me give you my name without having to ask for it up front?” Suzaku said, he had a mixture of disbelief and amazement in his eyes.

“You catch on quick,”

“And you’re sneaky,”

“I prefer the term intelligent.”

“Well then L.L., your intelligence has earned you my name,” Lelouch liked the mirth in the man’s eyes. It complemented his green. “It’s Suzaku Kururugi,”

Lelouch’s thought process stopped entirely.

“Huh?” He said dumbly.

“Um you ok? Did you zone out or something? I said Suzak-“

“I heard you sorry, I just,” Lelouch sat there dumbly a moment. “Sorry it reminded me of someone. It just surprised me because it’s not a common name I suppose.”

“Oh,” The man, Suzaku, said. “Is that a bad thing?” Lelouch shook his head.

“No, I quite like the name Suzaku,” Suzaku Kururugi, it couldn’t be. But then the green eyed man was smiling and suddenly Lelouch was absolutely certain.

“Well that’s good to hear, oh I should get back to the stage. See you next time!” Suzaku waved at Lelouch as he walked off and Lelouch returned it.

Lelouch Vi Britannia, newly deemed Lelouch Lamperouge, had just met his childhood best friend at the club he owned. Lelouch Lamperouge had just called his childhood best friend a playboy. Lelouch Lamperouge had just called his childhood best friend, attractive.   



	4. Moments

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Suzaku Kururugi, at 2am, decided he'd found out the meaning to life. The meaning to life was simply to enjoy the moments you were given.

"Hey Suzaku, what do you and the bartender talk about between sets?" Gino asked, unceremoniously dropping onto the couch by Suzaku's feet as he mindlessly scrolled through his phone. Suzaku gave a questioning hum, not quite listening. "Hey, earth to Suzaku!" Gino repeated, poking his friends foot that he'd moved to sit on his lap. Suzaku shot him a quick murderous glare.

"Hands off my feet Gino," the blonde man looked unbothered.

"Answer my question first," Suzaku rolled his eyes.

"?"What's your question?" Gino clicked his tongue, and Anya huffed out a laugh from her blanket cocoon on the arm chair next to them.

"I asked about what you and the bartender talk about, you're always rushing over there," Gino pouted as Suzaku moved his feet to curl away from the blonde's wandering fingers.

"I just go to get a drink is all," It had been about a week since they'd started playing there. The band mainly played Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, and sometimes Saturday and Sunday if the schedule changed. The other days were the days the dancer's and the main DJ played. So far They've played three times at the club and Suzaku has enjoyed it, even if he's tired by the end. It helps him sleep.

"Yeah but you always bring water bottles so what's the point?" Suzaku gave Gino a deadpan look.

"I order Whiskey," Gino looked confused and wrinkled his nose.

"Between sets? Doesn't that like dry out your voice or something?" Suzaku rolled his eyes and huffed a laugh at Gino's description.

"I use it to deal with you Gino," the blonde squawked in indignation and Anya hummed in agreement. The blonde sputtered some more, gaping and looking between his band mates; betrayal written on his face.

Suzaku laughed at the sight. It was worth it to see Gino so spun up, it was also worth it to get Gino off of his back. He knew he'd just make a bigger fus if he told him it was specifically to see the bartender. The past couple talks they've had were interesting to say the least. The more they talked the more similar they seemed to be. Though they hadn't discussed any personal topics, just shared philosophies and ideas about society it was still fun to watch the seemingly disinterested bartender open up and laugh about things. He still didn't know his real name but it's not like he was actively searching for it, to be frank he didn't care to pry into the man's life. Suzaku wasn't looking for a relationship, he had his life right in front of him and he was comfortable with that. He was comfortable with Gino, Anya, and the band. He was even in college but he wouldn't mind if his life stayed like this forever.

His train of thought reminded him of the conversation he had with L.L. It was like the man had taken the words out of his mouth. He understood what Suzaku meant about relishing in the moment of life and what he meant about not wanting it to change. He even knew what he meant about how dangerous it would be to truly wish for time to stop or for change to never come. It was interesting to see how similar they were. Especially when they had just met a day before.

It was strange but a part of Suzaku also felt like he'd known L.L. For much longer than just a couple days. But he felt that if him and L.L. had met prior then he would've at least remembered it.

"Alright I'm calling it a night," Suzaku said, getting up from his spot on the couch. He looked at Anya who was half asleep and almost about to fall off the armchair in her cocoon. Suzaku shook his head and picked up the ball of girl and blanket and decided to take her back to her room. Gino agreed and turned off the T.V., making his way to his own room.

Suzaku set Anya down on her bed and went to turn off the lights when he heard her voice pipe up from her cocoon.

"My bets are on the bartender," Suzaku's eyes widened momentarily.

"Nothing gets passed you huh," Suzaku shook his head fondly, Anya was always too observant for her own good.

"I would've taken a photo but the sign says no photography," Suzaku was glad the girl hadn't taken any photos that could've been used as blackmail but he also felt a bit disappointed that he wouldn't have a good photo of L.L. He was too pretty for his own good and Suzaku felt ok with admitting that.

"Goodnight Anya," he said, turning off the lights.

"Night 'Aku," the blankets said.

Suzaku fell onto his bed with a content sigh. Finally, he thought, sleep. But when he woke up he felt as if he'd had no sleep at all. He groaned at the sound of Gino's high pitched singing along with the radio. Suzaku was glad he was the lead singer and Gino was drums. Taylor Swift was one of his least favorite singers simply for this reason: Gino's secret obsession that wasn't as secret as Suzaku would've liked.

Begrudgingly, Suzaku pulled himself out of bed and made his way into the open living room that jointed with the kitchen. He took his seat at the island bar stools and stared at the back of a dancing Gino with tiny shorts for Pjs. Gino's spouse would be a lucky person for this view, Suzaku didn't feel as lucky.

"Must you screech so loudly in the morning Gino," ah, Suzaku's accomplice in hatred of a singer, Anya, entered the room with tired eyes, tussled hair, and arms clenching around a big plush.

"Hey! You should be honored by my singing gracing you every morning! Plenty would pay for this show!"

"Yes but we did not," Suzaku said, "please do not subject us to torture."

"Especially at 7am," Anya added. The small girl climbed onto the stool next to Suzaku and laid her plus between the counter and herself, hugging it tightly and leaning her face into its soft fabric. Suzaku pet her back soothingly, she looked exhausted and he knew how much sleep the girl needed to function. And today she had clearly not gotten enough. Suzaku could only agree.

Gino turned around with a sour look. "How unappreciative," The blonde huffed. Suzaku leaned his chin against his hand laying on the island's counter and smiled fondly at the familiar morning. Same old Gino, same old Anya. It was familiar and comforting but a part of him felt a bit bored by the lack of change. He kind of wished he had an addition to spice it up. Though he supposed when he finished college his life would change and he'd soon miss moments like these. So Suzaku didn't bother to complain about this kind of peace. He reveled in it.

"What are you thinking about Suzaku?" The brunette hummed at Gino's sudden question. Even Anya turned her head to look at Suzaku. "You look like something's on your mind."

"My calculations is its something sappy," Anya remarked. Suzaku shook his head with a fond smile growing on his face.

"I'm just so grateful and lucky to have you guys in my life," his voice sounded watery.

"Oh god I knew it," Anya said with a light groan. Gino looked proud and nodded with a quick "let it all out buddy,"

"I'm just so happy for moments like these where we can all be together and be happy," and now Suzaku was crying and so was Gino. The blonde moved from the stove over to Suzaku's side of the island and gave him a big hug, patting his back and nodding his head.

"I agree buddy! I'm so grateful for both of you and I'm so happy we can live together like this and work together and wahh! I don't show my appreciation for you guys enough!" Gino wailed.

"You tell us you love us everyday," Anya remarked, an unamused look on her face.

"We should tell each other our affections more often," Suzaku agreed, trying to stop the tears that flowed.

"Ugh, feelers," Anya muttered. She instead looked at the two grown men crying from afar with a fond look in her eyes. She hated to admit it but, she loved her idiots.

"Anya! Join our hug!" Gino whined making grabby hands at the girl. She twisted to escape but the moment Suzaku reached over to drag her in she knew it wasn't worth fighting so she sighed and succumbed to her fight.

"You guys are too emotional for your own good," she said, her face buried in their shoulder's.

"Shut up," Suzaku said, "you love us!" Anya sighed.

"Yeah, I guess I do," Gino made a noise of disbelief and happiness at the same time.

"She admitted it!"

"Um, does anyone else smell something burning?" Suzaku noted.

"Ah! The bacon!" Gino leapt across the kitchen to take it off the stove. He'd also ended up burning the pan so bad that it was impossible to cook anything else on it. Anya sighed and Suzaku shot Gino a look of sympathy.

"I'll order breakfast delivery," Anya said, sliding out of the stool and walking over to the living room couch to make the call. Suzaku gave Gino a sympathetic pat on his shoulder and the blonde appreciated the comfort.

"If it helps, I broke a toaster once trying to make toast," and suddenly Gino was pointing at him with tears in his eyes.

"How in the hell do you manage to do that?!" Suzaku suddenly regrets telling him. To prove his point Suzaku slaps Gino upside the head. The blonde pouts and grabs at his head.

"Be nice," Anya yells across the room.

"Yes ma'am," Gino whines. Suzaku stifles his laughter. Yes, a normal day for them. A comfortable day and a comfortable routine. But Suzaku can't help but look forward to going to work tonight. He's mostly excited to see violet eyes again.

Suzaku notices one thing when he sits at the bar.

"bunny ears?" Suzaku remarks and L.L. looks up from the bar. They're lace and black, they fit well against L.L.'s aesthetic. He's wearing his halter and shiny pants again but the addition of bunny ears seems to complete it.

"I think milly thinks animal ears have some sort of sex appeal that'll bring in customers" the man says with a shake of his head. The bunny ears move with his head and one end slides to the side of his head, it's quite humorous and adorable to watch.

"Well it's working for me," Suzaku remarks, hiding his snickers behind his hand. L.L. gives him an unimpressed look and Suzaku quickly covers his laugh with a cough but it only make him laugh harder. He tries his best not to choke.

"Well I'd agree if they wouldn't stop falling off and giving me a headache," Suzaku couldn't help the chuckle he let out into his hand that rested at his chin against the bar. He lifted a hand and flicked one black laced ear and ignored L.L's glare as the band started to fall forward. It took everything in him to stop from laughing til tears entered his eyes and he knew L.L. could tell.

"So are the shiny jeans also Milly's idea or?" Suzaku says, trying to change the subject. L.L. Looks up confused with a hint of mirth beneath his eyes.

"You mean my leather pants?" —They're faux but Lelouch doesn't feel the need to mention it. Suzaku only nods with childlike innocence.

"Haha! Of course not! It's called fashion preference," Suzaku feels sheepish at his mistake but L.L. is still shaking with laughter.

"Ah I just figured because every time I see you you're wearing them!" Suzaku says, trying to defend himself.

"Are you judging my lack of variety in clothing?" L.L. Says, all hints of mirth gone. Suzaku flails to deny it and suddenly L.L. Is laughing again. "I'm just fucking with you," Suzaku pouts.

"Not funny," L.L. wipes tears from his eyes.

"If it bothers you I can wear something different Tuesday," L.L. says with a smirk and Suzaku flails.

"Ah I didn't mean it like that! You don't have to!"

"No I think it'll be a fun challenge," the raven says, his eyes slide over to Suzaku's own, "as long as you're watching me it's worth it." Suzakus eyes widen and he watches L.L.'s smirk form. Suddenly it feels a lot hotter than it did before.

"Always," Suzaku says. He didn't mean to say that. But L.L. Is howling with laughter so he doesn't find he minds.

The next shift the band has Suzaku realizes L.L. wasn't joking when he said he'd wear something different. He came in wearing a skirt. It's leather. Suzaku suddenly doesn't know how to speak.

"Whiskey right?" The bartender asks and Suzaku can't find his voice in time to say yes so he just nods. When he get his whiskey his thanks comes out a bit strangled. "I'm going to assume you thought I was calling bluff." L.L. wears a smirk like it's jewelry.

"Maybe," Suzaku pouts into his glass. He doesn't like that L.L. seems to know him so well. He'd like to at least be able to reciprocate it but he doesn't know a single thing about the raven that makes up his personality. He doesn't even know his name! But, he's not going to beg for it. Suzaku never begs.

"Well, I'll have you know, I never bluff," Suzaku meets eyes with violet and a voice in his brain tells him it's a little scary how similar their thinking and vocabulary seems to be. Could L.L. read his thoughts? It'd make sense if he could. "You seem quiet tonight, are you thinking about something important?" Suzaku's eyes widen. "Oh, or maybe you're wondering if I can read your thoughts or some sort."

"How'd you know?!" Suzaku exclaims, his glass hitting the bar's surface a bit harder then he intended. He feels a bit guilty at the pointed glare L.L. gives him.

"Just a guess. People can be easy to read sometimes." Suzaku wondered what it was like in L.L.'s mind. He seemed like a deep thinker and someone who would enjoy just watching people for hours and Suzaku could say he agreed.

"What about me?" Suzaku finds himself asking. "Try reading me," L.L. looks momentarily surprised before readjusting his hip against the bar's counter.

"Hm, you're an introvert who becomes an ambivert around close friends. You don't like crowds or a lot of energy but you don't mind it if you're surrounded by company you enjoy. You enjoy attention to a point but you're not as flamboyant or flashy as most. You seem like the kind of person who's really emotionally affectionate when put in a spot that makes you reflect." Suzaku was sure his jaw had unhinged. He probably looked like a gaping fish.

"And you know all of that from only four days of knowing me?" Suzaku was impressed to say the least.

"Reading people is a hobby, I've gotten good at it over the years." L.L. said, with a nonchalant shrug.

"Wow, that's amazing!" Suzaku couldn't believe how well he'd read him. It was almost scary but it felt kind of nice to be understood in such a way.

"I wish I knew a bit more about you though," Suzaku pouted, he quickly caught himself, "ah but I don't mean to pry or be pushy at all!"

"No worries, I wouldn't mind sharing a bit about myself with you either Suzaku, you seem pretty chill." That was the first time Suzaku had heard the man say his name and he immediately wanted to hear it again. There was something familiar about L.L. But Suzaku couldn't place it for the life of him. Could they have met in a past life or something? That was a cool thought. "So," L.L. continued, "what do you want to know?" He had an open smile and Suzaku wanted to say everything but restrained himself.

"Tell me something about you that's equivalent to what you read about me, that way we're even." L.L. hummed to himself in thought with a finger to his chin and Suzaku noted the man's long lashes. "Well, I guess I'm an introvert who finds no point in social interaction unless it's for my own benefit or a required obligation. I don't desire much acquaintance-ship but I do have a group of friends that I hold close to me. Almost all of them are extroverts so I end up being dragged out of my shell against my free will more than half the time. I guess I myself enjoy attention even if I don't look it it kind of reflects in how I present myself though I only want attention if I'm looking for it, other than that I'd prefer to be left alone." Suzaku wanted to laugh to himself, something about that seemed so on brand for the man but he didn't know why he thought that. "And I guess I'm a little disconnected from my emotions but I care about those close to me a lot and I try my best to express it." Suzaku was surprised to hear so much from the man but a part of him wondered if L.L. wanted to share more about himself with others but just never got the chance. It made him feel honored that it could be him.

"Yup, I've decided, we will be great friends." L.L. seemed surprised by the brunette's words but shook his head with a smile.

"Yes I quite agree."

When Suzaku goes to sleep that night he's interrupted by a message from Milly Ashford. What could she want at 2am?

" _Hello Suzaku! Just wanted to ask if you and your band mates would like to participate in our next event!"_ Well that seemed interesting. Suzaku sent a quick "sure" and she immediately sent over the details. Bow day huh? That sounded fun he supposed. It was moments like these, little events, that gave people things to look forward to.

Suzaku Kururugi, at 2am, decided he'd found out the meaning to life. The meaning to life was simply to enjoy the moments you were given.

The brunette fell asleep with a calm smile and a happy feeling in his chest. Hope and anticipation were funny things weren't they? Fueled by the tiniest of things too.


	5. Coworkers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Staring at the white popcorn ceiling is a lot easier when sober, Suzaku thinks. He's laying in his bed, awake at 3am, after having returned home two hours ago. He hasn't changed nor has he said a word other than "Goodnight" to his bandmates, which was a bit of a lie because now here he is—at 3am—staring at his ceiling.  
> "Fuck, I need to stop focusing on that bartender."

"I just think an endangered species theme would not only be fun but also helpful to the environment," Milly said, finishing her sentence with a flourish of hand gestures. Lelouch nodded along as she continued to ramble, not minding what she was saying too much. Suddenly, Milly stopped her ravings and pointed at a shop, "Oh! Look this coffee shop is cute!" Lelouch followed the blonde girl's finger to the sign on the store that read "Knights of The Round". A themed cafe, It definitely fit Milly's interests. "Let's go in and try it!" Before Lelouch could protest, the girl dragged him by his sleeve into the cafe.

Upon entering there was a myriad of smells and noises and colors and Lelouch waited for his eyes to adjust to the dim lighting of the cafe. It looked cozy and he enjoyed the green and browns with gold accents.

Milly, with no hesitation, strolled over to the counter and immediately scoured the menu. She hummed to herself and tapped her chin, she was indecisive when it came to things like this. With a frown she turned to her more decisive friend.

"What do you think? What should I get?" She turned back to point at what she thought looked yummy and Lelouch gave the poor barista a sympathetic look. The barista shook their head insisting to take as much as time as they needed. Upon a second glance, Lelouch could see the cafe seemed to be pretty empty. Which Lelouch found odd, such a unique shop would surely have good patronage. "I think I'm going to try," Milly hummed again. "Ah, Lulu just share a third drink with me ok?" Lelouch looked at her about to protest before deciding it was futile.

"Fine but that means you actually have to make a decision." Milly went back to looking at the menu before seeming to make up her mind.

"Alright!" She exclaimed, "I'll have a mocha caramel coffee and also the honey bee blend. What about you Lelouch?"

"Just a green iced tea," Milly looked confused.

"Aren't you a black coffee type?"

"Only in the morning, it makes me shaky if I have too much," Lelouch said. To be honest he wasn't the biggest fan of coffee except to be used as an energizer. He found tea and milk more refreshing or even water over coffee.

"That's because you're so tiny," as if to prove a point Milly poked the skinny boy in the ribs. He shot her a glare and stood further away from him. "You need to work out more," Lelouch was about to defend himself when the barista asked if Milly wanted a rewards card. Milly being Milly agreed and signed up.

After they payed, the two walked to a booth and sat down.

"This place is so cute! Oh it's giving me ideas! We should have a royal theme!" Lelouch shook his head.

"With you around we're going to end up with events daily," Milly only puffs out her chest with a proud look and digs out her phone to write down her thoughts.

"That's the plan," She says with a wink. Lelouch rolls his eyes but he can't deny the girl's enthusiasm. Working at the club was much more fun when Milly Ashford was involved.

When Lelouch clocks in he runs into a familiar redhead.

"Oh Kallen, longtime no see," Lelouch says. The girl looks up and a smile takes her face.

"Hey Lelouch! What do you mean longtime? I was just here two nights ago for the dancer's shift." Lelouch tried not to let his surprise show on his face. To be honest he'd forgotten about the different schedules between the dancers and the band, it was still a fairly new schedule.

"Oh right," he said dumbly. Kallen shook her head and flicked his forehead.

"You're always too busy thinking to remember the little things, anyways I have some time before my set so get me a drink will ya?" Lelouch touched his forehead with a frown before nodding.

"Sure, come on I'll open the bar for you."

The two entered the main room of the club and Kallen followed the raven to the bar.

"So, what will it be for tonight?" Lelouch asks as the redhead sits at a stool.

"Hm, a margarita! And a lemon garnish if C.C. hasn't eaten them all already," Lelouch huffs a laugh and is thankful to see they are in fact in stock of lemons.

"You're in luck," Lelouch says and starts on the margarita.

"So how's the band? I haven't been able to hear them since I haven't come in on any of my off days but I heard from Milly that they're really good. And knowing Milly she wouldn't accept anyone who's less than her standards but I want to hear from perfectionist CEO himself," Lelouch looked up from the drink to look at the redhead.

"CEO? Kallen I'm just the manager of the club." The girl rolled her eyes.

"You practically own the whole thing! At least in my eyes, I don't see Daddy Lamperouge coming in for shifts or dealing with finances," Kallen spoke with a grimace at the mention of Lelouch's father and for good reason. She hated him not only for being classist but for being racist. He almost fired Kallen for being half Japanese. Luckily it was illegal to terminate the contract and Lelouch was able to step in to stop him from doing anything further but it hadn't exactly made his father likeable in Kallen's eyes. Though Lelouch doesn't like him either so he can't blame her.

"Well their genre definitely fits the band and the lead vocalist is skilled. The drummer has a lot of energy but matches the vocalist and the DJ happens to be some perfect blend to the other two's energy so it works. All in all they're pretty good." Kallen nodded to Lelouch's review.

"Are any of them hot?" Lelouch sputtered.

"W-why would that matter?" Kallen raised a brow.

"Surely as the club's manager, you should know how well looks do to favor the customers. If they're hot then it's an added bonus, it's simply an inquiring question," Lelouch shook his head at the girl's bluntness.

"Well, putting it that way, I suppose the vocalist is quite attractive," Lelouch said, he could feel his face heating under the LEDs. It felt weird to admit that his childhood best friend was attractive but, he was.

He had to admit that Suzaku had grown into a fine man in many ways. He'd gotten taller and filled out a bit more. His voice deepened and it made Lelouch wonder how he'd never noticed how good of a singer he was. He'd also gained many things to his personality and yet was still the same Suzaku, it was quite amusing to observe.

It was the other day that Lelouch realized that Suzaku hadn't realized who he was. He didn't know if he minded that thought or not. But he didn't feel the need to enlighten Suzaku either. What if he didn't recognize him because he just didn't remember him. They had only been friends for 5 years. From the last couple years of elementary all through middle school, then their lives had split. It was unlikely Suzaku would remember him but still, Lelouch couldn't help but leave hints here and there. It was kind of amusing to predict which ones Suzaku would pick up on and observe his reactions. So far though, he'd had no special epiphany.

Kallen's wolf whistle breaks Lelouch out his musings.

"So he's definitely hot then," Lelouch had almost forgotten what they had been talking about but Kallen's wolffish grin immediately reminded him of the subject. "I'll have to come check them out on one of my day offs,"

"Knock yourself out I guess," Lelouch set the margarita down in front of the girl and Kallen began to laugh.

"You sound a bit jealous. Have you bonded with Mr. singer?" She sounds amused and excited to hear any details but Lelouch just shuts her up with an eye roll. "How boring, you're not fun as a gossip buddy Lelouch."

"It's L.L., working hours remember?" As if she had truly forgotten, Kallen sputters.

"Shit! I have to change before my set! Do you know how long it takes to put a bunny suit on?" Lelouch shook his head and chuckled at the girl's panic.

When she left, Lelouch started to count down how long he had til the end of his shift. He hadn't counted til the end the past couple of days and he wondered if that was because he had Suzaku's company. Oh well, it didn't matter, someone had just thrown up at the end of the bar. With a shudder Lelouch called over one of the newbies.

The next days go by in a blur. He took Nunnally and Rolo to the park and enjoyed talking to them under the shade over a picnic but it quickly became a fight for his attention again. The next day was another shift at the club but it was the dancer's schedule so nothing note worthy grabbed his attention. It wasn't until Milly had sent him a text an hour before his Monday shift that it was butler and maid night.

Butler and maid night? Lelouch didn't own any butler-like suits, he actually didn't have much formal wear besides a couple lantern sleeved blouses and he really didn't have the time to go out and buy one. So, out of last resort, he threw on a blouse and waistcoat with some slacks. That should be sufficient enough right? When he looked at himself in the mirror he felt like he was missing something. Then his eyes laid on a corset Milly had bought him for another special event. The corset was striped and contrasted the purple waistcoat, that would work.

When he entered the club that night, he saw Shirley by the door wearing her maid's uniform. Lelouch suspected it was Milly's, because Milly was go big or go home so of course she had dressed Shirley up from head to toe. He felt a bit bad for the girl but she pulled everything off well and seemed to be having fun no matter what Milly threw at her.

Lelouch quickly set up the bar as usual and noted Rivalz was wearing a bow tie and suspenders combo. It had been a while since he'd seen Rivalz clean up so well.

Lelouch started to wonder if Suzaku and his bandmates had gotten a message from Milly about bow night. The raven glanced over the stage to see the trio setting up and he realized, that they had in fact been informed. The girl was wearing a dress with a big bow on the back and the drummer wore a plain button down with a blue bow tie. However, even though Suzaku wore something similar to the drummer, something about seeing Suzaku in a button down, black slacks, and a black tie, was hypnotic. Lelouch quickly caught himself. What was wrong with him? This is Suzaku he's talking about! His childhood best friend, that's it. He wasn't even wearing anything extravagant, just a simple button down that fit his chest just right. That was all.

Suddenly, Lelouch wished he wasn't the bartender so he could pour himself a drink.

As the bass finished out Suzaku grabbed his water bottle and finished whatever last drop was in it. The button down wasn't helping the sweltering heat beneath the lights. The brunette was glad that it was finally his break for the set. With a nod to his bandmates the man set off for the bar. 

When Suzaku came up to the bar he noticed L.L.'s back was to him, busy doing something with the glasses along the wall. But the other thing Suzaku noticed was the bow in the man's hair that matched the purple of his waistcoat. When L.L. turned to address Suzaku, the brunette noticed another interesting aspect about his outfit.

Oh, he was wearing a corset. The corset looked good on the man, a lot better than Suzaku could currently describe. Before Suzaku could let his mouth run away with his mind he said the first thing that came to mind that wasn't about the corset that accentuated the bartender's waist.

"New hairdo today?" Suzaku says. L.L. looks surprised to hear such an observation from the brunette and nods.

"I was in a rush to find something to match the coat so I settled for this. Anyway, a whiskey?," Suzaku makes note of the bartenders lack of eloquence. Did something happen? He seems on edge, Suzaku thought.

"Yes, thank you," L.L. nodded and worked on the whiskey. With nothing better to do, Suzaku found himself observing the man. He was really pretty. It was hard to deny or make simple observations about the guy without complimenting his looks somehow. Or maybe it was just simply the fact that Suzaku was attracted to him, at least physically. Though he didn't have a bad personality either. But there was something that just seemed really familiar about the guy.

Suzaku let his eyes rave across the man's figure, watching his hands deftly working, from the moments he could see them from the back of the bartender. He moved with fluid motions that could only be gained by practice. His hair seemed soft or at least silky and Suzaku wondered about touching it.

Suddenly Suzaku felt ashamed. This was wrong wasn't it? They were coworkers now, he couldn't be attracted to his coworker like this. Could he? It was like everything was flipped on its axis. This whole time Suzaku had been thinking about the cute bartender and looking forward to seeing him but they wouldn't be able to actually be anything. Suzaku knew they could never be. They were coworkers now and when the contract ended they probably wouldn't have any reason to see each other again. So, what was the point? Was he really just setting himself up for heartbreak?

L.L. turned around and slid Suzaku's drink in front of him. Suzaku looked up to say thanks but paused. Violet eyes were looking at him behind raven locks and Suzaku wondered if he could pass it off as physical attraction. It would be easier to get over it right?

"Suzaku?" L.L. said with a confused expression. Suzaku blinked.

"Ah, sorry, just a little tired I think, thank you," Suzaku hides his flushed face by taking a sip. It's amazing as always.

Staring at the white popcorn ceiling is a lot easier when sober, Suzaku thinks. He's laying in his bed, awake at 3am, after having returned home two hours ago. He hasn't changed nor has he said a word other than "Goodnight" to his bandmates, which was a bit of a lie because now here he is—at 3am—staring at his ceiling. He hasn't had a coherent thought for the last 45 minutes and he wonders what he's even doing. His light's still on, he should probably shut it off and change but he can't find the energy to move.

Then he's reminded of his day job the next day and suddenly finds the exhaustion that's been buried under numbness. It's like the week's exhaustion has caught up to him when he remembers he has a noon shift the next day and the band's night shift the day after. And suddenly Suzaku is sitting up so fast his head spins.

"I have a test this week, fuck." With his head full of thoughts about raven hair and violet eyes and vibrant lights against loud basses, Suzaku had forgotten about his physics test for his school that week. He's a fucking college student how the fuck did he forget such a thing?

His mind is a mess of cursing and dizziness as he tries to sober himself up through sheer will. He stands and realizes that's probably not a good idea when he has to catch himself against the wall.

"Fuck, I need to stop focusing on that bartender."


	6. L.L.’s Tattoo

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Oh really?" Suzaku hums, "Do tell." He says with a shake of his glass. 
> 
> "I would but I'd be taking up your set time, better head back before your late." The man's eyes widen. 
> 
> "Ah shit you're right, I'll see you next time then!" He says with a wide grin. 
> 
> "See you." Lelouch watches the boy run off, a newfound energy in his step. He can't help but shake his head and laugh a little.

Somehow it's Wednesday and Suzaku is now allowed to stop worrying about his test. He's sure he got at least a C but it's enough for him, he thinks, as he's walking away from the college building that smells of stress and cheap coffee. He's finally able to relax and it's the only good news he's had this week until he remembers he has a shift at the club that night.

He doesn't know if he can call it good news after his recent epiphany. Will it be awkward between him and L.L.? Well there's no reason for it to be awkward unless he makes it awkward.

With his mind made up Suzaku decides to not worry about the bartender either. He's finally free of worrying for the week and he's decided to follow through on that.

When he enters his shared apartment he sees Anya watching T.V. but Gino doesn't seem to be home. Suzaku ignores the girl to instead head to his room and further his relaxing day. He sets his bag down and wonders what he could do to help him relax. He goes over a small list of things like: taking a bath, reading a book, going for a run, talking philosophy with someone, or cooking. He quickly crosses off more than half of the list deeming them currently impossible. He's a little sad to have to cross off "talking philosophy with someone" but no one comes to mind that he'd be able to talk that stuff with. Gino can't focus long enough, Anya grows bored too fast, and there's really no one else in his life. Suzaku vaguely wonders if L.L. would enjoy talking philosophy with him but immediately rids himself of the thought. They barely know each other plus he knows for certain L.L. would love to talk philosophy however he's sure the two would end up in some moral argument. It's just their personality types and the thought brings a small smile to his lips.

In the end Suzaku decides to take a long bath. It's not as refreshing or relaxing as he hoped but it successfully wasted time and now he's standing in the middle of his room, staring at his closet, wondering what he should wear for work that night. He usually doesn't think about it that much but there's something that's making him feel compelled to look good any time he enters the club. Suzaku ignores that the thing compelling him is probably L.L.'s presence and instead chooses a random light blue shirt just to prove he wasn't thinking too hard about impressing the man. It would have worked if he hadn't spent another 10 minutes choosing between which pairs of jeans to wear and another 5 picking out jewelry or whether to wear a blazer or a jacket. He settles on his usual rings and a choker and decides to change it up with a jacket for the night that he's certain he's going to end up shedding 30 minutes in.

Suzaku was wrong, he ended up shedding the jacket 10 minutes in. He got a little too into a song and ended up throwing it to a group of screaming girls and he hasn't seen it since. He's just glad it wasn't one of his favorites because he's certain he won't be getting it back.

Suzaku wipes at the back of his neck as Gino ends the song with a resounding beat. He can see L.L. from the stage but his back is to him. Without another wasted second, Suzaku hops off the stage and walks up to the bar.

L.L. turns around and greets him with a smile. He's wearing a black halter with a high collar again but this time there's a diamond key hole and on the sliver of skin he can see a red tattoo in the shape of a v.

"Nice tattoo," Suzaku remarks. L.L. looks as if he's forgotten it was there.

"Oh thanks, club protocol," he says. Suzaku's eyes widen.

"They forced you to get a tattoo?" His voice is rising in question and the surprise in his voice is clear.

"Well when you're the top club in the country, the employer can make employees do anything just to keep their job. We pay well too." L.L. responds resolutely.

"I see, kind of feels like branding," Suzaku resigns but he hears something he doesn't think he should have underneath the man's breath.

"That's exactly what it is," Then violet eyes are looking into his. was certain he wasn't supposed to hear that, "So what can I get for you tonight? May I suggest a water?" Suzaku accepts the change in subject and settles back on the stool.

"Haha, Nice try, I'll take a whiskey sour," L.L. huffs with a shake of his head and a growing smile.

"One day I'm just going to give you a water with a garnish and you'll be so tired you won't even notice," Suzaku laughs. He was wrong to think hanging out with L.L. would be awkward. Being around L.L. is like being able to breathe and it's so natural it feels unnatural. It's almost a little melancholic but Suzaku has always been one to live in the moment.

"Try me," L.L. Looks up at him from grabbing a glass and there's an easy smirk on his face. He will.

That's when Lelouch notices that something's off about Suzaku. He looks more tired than usual and he wonders what it's from. It's then that Lelouch realizes he has no idea how Suzaku lives outside of work. It's not like they're close friends anymore, they're just close colleagues now. Lelouch doesn't want to admit how sad that is or the pang he feels from the thought.

He shakes out of it and sets the man's whiskey in front of him. He wasn't joking about exchanging it for water one day, and it definitely looked like he needed water more than alcohol. Lelouch chuckled to himself at the frown on the man's face when he noticed he wasn't drinking his beloved whiskey.

"Didn't think you'd do it so quickly, I thought you'd at least wait a week for me to forget about it," Suzaku pouts into his water.

"I don't think you need whiskey tonight, not to pry but you look tired, everything alright?" Suzaku seems surprised to hear the man ask him something like that.

"Yeah just finals coming up." He answers.

"Oh, a college student?" Lelouch raises a brow, he wonders if he can guess what his major is.

"Ding ding." Suzaku gives a pained smile and Lelouch wants to say physics has something to do with it.

"What's your major?" He finds himself asking.

"Ah something with engineering, it's a long name but basically I want to fly planes one day and maybe make them."

"Intriguing," Lelouch says despite having no interest in the topic whatsoever. But he has to admit it is exactly what he pictured for Suzaku to choose. Suzaku who was once a snot nosed kid who ran around with paper airplanes making exaggerated engine noises and would sometimes throw them at Lelouch during class. If he was lucky he'd get a little note written on the wing.

"I know," Suzaku says with a roll of his eyes, "the classes are enough to make me debate my career choices but I've had my heart set on this since I was a kid," I know, "So it feels like a betrayal to my younger self if I didn't pursue it."

"Well I think it's awesome that you're even attending school, most musicians just ride on their voices til it breaks. Not that there's anything wrong with that but having multiple passions is something I can relate to I guess."

"Oh really?" Suzaku hums, "Do tell." He says with a shake of his glass.

"I would but I'd be taking up your set time, better head back before your late." The man's eyes widen.

"Ah shit you're right, I'll see you next time then!" He says with a wide grin.

"See you." Lelouch watches the boy run off, a newfound energy in his step. He can't help but shake his head and laugh a little.

That night Lelouch thinks to himself about what career he'd choose if he'd been allowed to go to college. He's loathe to admit it but he's always been a fan of politics. He doesn't let himself entertain the topic more as sleep invades him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Found some motivation to finish this chapter! Hopefully I’ll finish the other chapters too but I’m already working on another fic at the moment.

**Author's Note:**

> Here I am again with a fanfic, this one I swear I will finish! I will get through it! I have a whole blue print frame laid out for it for about 15 chapters so I know I’ll finish it! Anyway I hope you enjoy this concept that won’t get out of my head!


End file.
